Cancer is the second leading cause of death in America, with cancers of the colon, breast, prostate and lung being the most deadly.
Advocates of a whole-food, nutrient-dense, plant-based diet concur there is overwhelming evidence linking nutritional excellence with disease prevention, including cancer. In order to do this, we must consume a diet that nourishes our cells with the highest level of protective compounds. In this thirteen minute video, Dr. Joel Fuhrman points out which foods have the most potent cancer fighting properties and that "super immunity" is achieved when consuming a diet rich in micronutrients without being deficient in any nutrients. Additionally, by avoiding toxic foods, our immune system can provide protection against cancer as well as many infections.
Dietary factors that play a key role in the prevention of disease and the difference between micronutrients and macronutrients are also discussed. Macronutrients are those nutrients that supply calories for energy, such as carbohydrate, fat, and protein. Micronutrients are those that do not supply calories; they are the vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals. Scientists are just now discovering the hundreds of thousands of micronutrients in plant foods that they weren't even aware of 60-70 years ago. Americans, Dr. Fuhrman says, consume dangerous amounts of macronutrients and are severely deficient in micronutrients.
In addition to being deficient in micronutrients, there are other key factors that when combined, creates ideal conditions for cancer cells to thrive. Specifically, 62% of calories in the typical American diet come from processed foods, and 26% percent from animal products. These foods are high in toxic carcinogenic compounds as well as being deficient in antioxidants and phytochemicals. Therefore, when the majority of calories in our diet come from these foods, deficiencies develop, which offers no disease fighting protection against cancer.
Equally important, animal products promote the growth hormone IGF-1 which encourages cancer cells to multiply. Lastly, nutrient deficient foods are also high-glycemic foods that not only promote weight gain and diabetes, but can also contribute to cancer by promoting excessive insulin secretion. As you can see, when the factors mentioned above are combined, the typical American diet supports cancer progression by creating the perfect environment for it to grow.
Dr. Fuhrman ends his interview by recommending a diet high in what he calls "G-BOMBS." He firmly believes that these foods offer "dramatic protection against cancer and support the immune system to a high degree." The foods that offer this protection are "Greens, Beans, Onions, Mushrooms, Berries and Seeds." The combination of these "G-BOMBS" he says, offers a 55-85% reduction of breast cancer risk in women.
Dr. Fuhrman mentions a study that followed women with breast cancer for ten years. Those women who ate flax seed daily had a 71% decrease risk of death over the ten year period. Eating just 5 servings of cruciferous vegetables a week has also been shown to reduce the risk of breast cancer by 40%, and when mushrooms are combined with green leafy vegetables it offers a reduction in risk of breast cancer by 89%.
Eating a diet rich in micronutrients, while avoiding foods that are toxic and devoid of nutrients is a crucial factor in preventing illness, including cancer.
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